Yu-Gi-Oh! Duelist - Duel 177
"The Dark God is Born!", also known as "Birth of the Dark God!!" in the Japanese version is the 177th chapter of the Yu-Gi-Oh! Duelist manga in the English version and the 236th chapter of Yu-Gi-Oh! in the Japanese version. Summary Dark Bakura is shocked to hear that "Ra" has more than one special power. Dark Marik confirms it, telling Bakura that this is when he dies. Dark Bakura growls in frustration as Dark Marik tells him to take a good look at "Ra's" special ability. In his computer room, Kaiba is sitting at a console with a window showing the "Ra" card and three smaller windows flanking it. He muses that "Ra" has three special powers, and he thinks that the text of the card is written in some strange variant of hieratic Ancient Egyptian. Kaiba never studied ancient languages in his entire life, so it's a mystery why he can't read it. But if he doesn't find a strategy to defeat Ra... He runs a simulation: Marik's "Ra" Deck against Kaiba's own Virus combo. He winces as he sees that there's only a 13% chance of victory, and wonders if even with "The God of the Obelisk" he can't compete with "Ra's" powers. And the one thing Kaiba has to be the most cautious about is the One-Turn Kill. When the conditions are right for the "Ra" card, in one turn it can crush all its enemies and reduce the player's Life Points to zero. He wonders if there's any way to defeat such an awesomely overpowered card. Kaiba muses on the three God cards. His "God of the Obelisk", Yugi's "Slifer the Sky Dragon", and Marik's "The Sun Dragon Ra". They one thing they have in common is that they are Summoned to the field with three sacrifices, and most Trap Cards have no effect on them, while Spell Cards played on a God are only effective for one turn. But there is one ability that "Ra" has and the other Gods don't, and that is the power of quickness. Special Summoning is an unusual way of getting a monster on the field; for example, if a God is Summoned from the Graveyard by the card "Monster Reborn. Since Spell cards only affect a God for a single turn, whether the cards are yours or your enemy's, the effects of "Monster Reborn" would expire after just one turn, and God would once again return to the grave. Normally in the case of a Special Summon, you must wait for your next turn to attack, meaning that "Monster Reborn" is useless on a God. But "Ra" has the power to attack on the same turn. It gets worse: "Ra's" total ATK and DEF are determined by the total respective points of the sacrificial monsters. If it is Summoned using "Monster Reborn", there are no sacrifices, so its ATK and DEF should be zero. But with "Ra's" special hidden ability, it can destroy its enemies in an instant. Kaiba growls, thinking that if "Ra" goes to the Graveyard and Marik has "Monster Reborn", the One-Turn Kill is complete. And sure enough, on the Duel Field, Marik has fulfilled both conditions; "Ra" is in his Graveyard, and "Monster Reborn" is in his hand. Dark Bakura repeats "One-Turn Kill" in his head, as Dark Marik asks if Dark Bakura is ready. Because Dark Marik is. He plays a Spell Card, "Monster Reborn", and of course, the monster he Summons is "The Sun Dragon Ra". The gigantic golden dragon appears, hovering above the field. Marik protests that because it wasn't a Sacrifice Summon, "Ra's" ATK and DEF should be zero. Plus, "Monster Reborn" only lasts for one turn on "Ra". If they can survive this turn, it'll disappear. Dark Marik laughs, claiming that they'll see about that. They don't understand the true power of God. Crossing his arms, Dark Marik begins chanting a spell in Hieratic Egyptian. He laughs to himself, thinking that his other self never received the full revelation of the Millennium Rod. Only Dark Marik can decipher "Ra's" ability. "Ra" begins to glow, and Dark Bakura starts - Dark Marik's body begins to disappear as Dark Bakura's has been. Dark Marik explains "Ra's" special power: as written on the card in hieratic Egyptian, "he who chants the third litany may keep one Life Point and transfer the remainder unto "Ra's" attack points for one turn!" Dark Bakura his horrified, realizing that Dark Marik's Life Points will become "Ra's" ATK and DEF. Dark Marik confirms it as the left half of his face is eaten away, and it doesn't take anytime at all. He comments that it's been a fun little Duel. This is the last time Dark Bakura will see him, but once Dark Bakura disappears into darkness, Dark Marik's body will go back to normal. "Ra" hovers above the field, smoke gathering at the gem embedded in its forehead as its ATK and DEF both become 3999. Dark Marik appears, wreathed in smoke, his legs embedded in "Ra's" gem confirming that this is the true form of the power - he and "Ra" become one! Only his right eye and left hand remain on the field, with a single Life Point, while Dark Bakura has 1900. Dark Marik orders "Ra's" "God Blaze Cannon, and "Ra" attacks, blasting Dark Bakura's entire side of the fire with a massive cannon-blast of fire. It destroys all of Dark Bakura's monsters and then kills the player. With his monsters burnt to ashes, both Dark Bakura and Marik are struck by the flames, and Dark Marik yells at his residual thoughts to die. Marik's image is burnt away, and what's left of Dark Bakura begins to fade too. Looking at Dark Marik, Dark Bakura tells him that he'll let Dark Marik win this time as Dark Marik's irises dilate and his eyes vein. Dark Bakura, the left side of his face gone, warns Dark Marik to remember that Dark Bakura will be resurrected to kill Dark Marik. With only his right eye remaining Dark Bakura says "Because...I am the darkness!" He disappears with a final laugh as the Millennium Ring falls to the floor at the same time as his Life Points hit zero. Dark Marik, his body back to normal, picks up the Ring, commenting that in that case, he'll enjoy taming the darkness. Featured Duel: Dark Bakura vs. Dark Marik Turn 6: Dark Marik Dark Marik activates Spell Card, "Monster Reborn", Special Summoning "The Sun Dragon Ra" from his Graveyard. (0/0) Since it was Special Summoned from the Graveyard, the effect of "Ra" states that not only does "Ra" not have to wait a turn to attack as any other Special Summoned monster would, but Dark Marik can also pay all but 1 of his Life Points, and "Ra's" ATK and DEF will increase by the same amount. (Dark Marik: 1), ("The Sun Dragon Ra": 3999/3999) Also, since this effect was activated, "Ra" can attack all monsters Dark Bakura controls and then attack Dark Bakura directly. "Ra" attacks and destroys "Dark Necrofear", "Gelnia", "Headless Knight", and "Puppet Master, Controller of the Dead", then attacks Dark Bakura directly. (Bakura: 0) Featured cards The following cards appeared in this chapter. Cards in italics debuted here. Production History This chapter was first printed in Japanese in the Weekly Shōnen Jump magazine. It was reprinted in volume 20 of Yu-Gi-Oh! Duelist.